Cristina Yang

Born and raised in Beverly Hills, California, by her Korean mother and Jewish stepfather, Cristina Yang is a quintessential overachiever. She has a B.A. from Smith, a Ph.D. in biochemistry from UC Berkeley, and an M.D. from Stanford! She's steely and competitive, which often affects her bedside manner and her relationships. Despite these personality flaws, Cristina's managed to develop some pretty serious love connections: she had a fling with Colin Marlow, her former professor, she almost married Dr. Preston Burke, Seattle Grace's one-time head of cardiothoracic surgery (who left her at the altar), and she eventually ended up with tortured Iraq War veteran Owen Hunt. After the Season 6 shooting she struggled with crippling PTSD and even quit for a short period (though of course she came back). Although her bedside manner has improved over the seasons, Cristina still struggles to be empathetic and compassionate, often prefering the cool precision of logic and reason.